FL Special Session Ends, No Congressional Map

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) _  The Florida Legislature is ending its 12-day special session without reaching an agreement on new congressional districts for the state.

The session ended at noon after House and Senate Republicans were unable to work out deep differences over the map.

Senators wanted to alter proposed districts in the Tampa Bay and central Florida area.

But House members raised questions about whether or not the changes would be approved by the state Supreme Court.

The Senate tried to extend the session until next week but the House voted down that request twice.

The Florida Supreme Court ruled in July that the current districts don’t meet a voter-approved constitutional amendment requiring districts to be compact and not drawn to benefit a political party or incumbents.

The state high court will re-draw the U.S. congressional district map if lawmakers can’t do it.